River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-12-29

CHAPTER HL-CoSrTSUzD.
Ifitis asked what had been the cause Of
his unpleasant medi1ati0ns along the high
way. that is easily told
He was an American, well born but per.
his friends and relatives. from the first. OTp
posed his choice IL profession. declaring
the latter 10 be Unmauly, eucrvating and al
together impraeticah.e. lie himself began
% doubt his OSu abilities His was plant
impressiJuaDlc nature, easily influenced by
others not wholly FROM weakness but.alsO.
because ms natural lack Of self-cOnfdence
had been aggravated By i mistaken course
uf early discipline which taught him uiwa.s
20 Weld 10 the opinion Of his elders Tho
constant rciterdtiun OF dismal prophecies,
a strust Of his own talents, and. above all
the unwilling disappointed acluiesCencs Of
his parents IN his choice al this caused
him 10 WAIVER in the wish OF his youth, ard,
at last, 20 abandon Il
DIshcartcued and imbtte-ed at the
thought If foregoing the one and only real
desire Of his iifc- nc now became drifting,
unhappy man; uncertain what 10 do; ap-
parcutiy incapable Of selecting a profession;
sOured as much as one Of his happy DISPOSE
tons could be; unfit for any immediate du-
ties and. yet, obliged. II some way or other,
20 earn a livelihood
He was not enc 70 Give mp in despair lie
tried, first one thing, then another mot
from choice. but necessity. because lie
deemed IL his duty always hating most
what he last was engaged in, and, although
now not far from thirty years Of age. he
was s,iI unsettled and. Of course, unhappy
--wocfullv 50. At times.
Finally. realizing the seeming helplessness
Of bis state. he lost the Will and. 1t length,
tvcl the wish to decide 50 he resolved
up1a tie c1gGrdly course Of allowing mat
ters t8 sSlpe themselves and i8rce him 20
some decision.
1et, although lie professed no longer TO
troub.e himself as % his future. like many
% those In q similar prcdicament. he expert
cuccd moments when MS wasted life, his
present linlcssucss. his disappontmcuts
aud uurgahzed hopes overwhelmed him in
all 81 tirciT dismal aspects. When thus dis
I,.rDed. of he would 20 on some long. lonely
walk. lost iu gloomy reflection.
Some SLIGHT occurrence OF the previous
evening had brought back the old. old trou-
JIes anon hir- and now. although ,hc after
usau WAS FAR spent, he was SIN completely
aud thclr influence. ard the reader finds
HIM on ih. outskirts Of q small country vii
lage. near Oman. in Britanny-fJr he had
managed Ia scrape together a few dollars
and venture even upon trip u Europe
suffering from a 1t Of dependency, super
induced by reflections Oi the foregoing
character.
Despite the fact that he could lay no
claim % good looks. Fairfax. when excited,
gained a rather unusual color in his checks
md his eyes were wont % Fash and sparkle
with unusual brilliancy- Had ne not been
IN such haste a-,l SO absorbed in has prep
aration5 for the ball. he might have
PAUSED 4 moment before the mirror 70 re-
mark tho transformation in his appearance.
His high. fun forehead, over which had
dropped an UurUly SaFcicouic forelocS;
MS brOuEcd complexion heightened by the
unusual color or thc face; his long. droOp-
ing musrache. and. more especially, those,
brilliant, flashing ewes that seemed 20 burn
with fire IN their sockets. made him, 70 say
the least, rather observable
At last, he put the finishing touches TO his
costume and entering the carriage, prom
fsed the coachmaa extra money. II tho lat
ter would drive IS rapidly Is possible
ThIs lad been lucky day 70 the young
American Why should not luclI continued
Might il not be possible that he should meet
her there this evenings He felt almost Ger
tain tha; he would.
..Ou. as fast A. you cam called he 10 the
driver
That individual. aroused by the hope IF
reward. Iishcd his horses. until tired IS
they were. they tore along - 3 furious pace
Covered with foam. they dashed past the
porters lodge. along the avenue 70 the
chateau. and drew up, stcamlag. before the
entrance.
Seeking ont his friend, Dick Oxford. Fair
fax asked the latter 10 take hun 10 the
Narchloucss, ms hostess To her he made
his apologies
PRAY that she max present you % the
Princess whispered Dick, in his ear
But the old lady saw lit 10 leave him 70
the tender mercies Of q remarkably bright,
handsome and physically-vigorous young
English girl. daughter Of the Ear. " Broad
acres
- eager was Fairfax To discover if the
object " his searvh were in the room that.
az first. g k was not even civil - the girl;
paving LITTLE heed 20 her delightfully."- org
maj aud brilliant conversation
NJ Natalie was anyyvheCc 70 bv seem Al
the guests seemed - be gathered IN the
large hall The ballroom ami the adjoining
rooms. too. were deserted. Beside. he had
seen no one on the porch when he entered
Alas, she was not here Oy had Comet
He sighed profoundly; and Unconseiously,
murmVrcd
Ny fate"
The English girl. who had. heretofore,
niquct 10 his luatJentian aud roGcommiJtal
answers She had made extra efforts 10
WIN his interest. AID now burst forth. ieIly,
with the remark:
Mr.. Fairfax. you seem % forget your
self"
Thus recalled 70 his senses. Fairfax, aftcf
auo.oEi-inE. confessed that De expected %
meet 8 fricud here that evening, but had
been disappointed Too polite 70 inquire
whom he meant, vet Modified by his answer,
The girl resumed her talk
Although still preserving subdued-
rather sad dculeanor, that became hun won
derfuIiy wei aud rendered him more inter
estirg in the eyes CT his companion. who
ID now determined n satisfy her curiosity
with regard - him. Fairfax actually found
himself becoming Interested IN her he
gradually came % a realizing sense q the
brilliant conversational powers Of the beau
riful creature who stood before hiu Her
large, deep-blue eyes be2ued with iatelli-
gence. and were capable, be thought. Of
g.ovinz with the passion Of love, OF of ter
ribie anger. Tall. magnificent q physsgae,
crowned With profusion Of brown hair, ar-
ranged = simple but lovely folds, her
cheeks glowing with health. she reminded
hin OF some grand Morse maiden whom the
old Vikings acknowledge their princess.